Protective kneepad and methods of using the same

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a protective pad for the limbs of a person that is operable to connect to the clothing of the person to prevent slippage of the knee pad as the wearer moves. In some embodiments, the pad may be operable to be used for the elbows of the body. The protective pads include connector straps integrated into the side edges of the pads that are operable to wrap around the wearer&#39;s leg and connect to connectors on the opposite side edge of the knee pad. The protective pads may additionally have at least one anti-slip retention strap for connecting directly to the pants of the wearer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to protective pads worn on the body, such as kneepads, that are operable remain in proper position without constricting the motion of the wearer, and methods of using the same.

DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND

Protective kneepads have been available for people to wear on their bodies, such as kneepads, elbow pads, shin pads, thigh pads, forearm pads, etc. The pads protect the limbs of the body from injury and provide comfort to the wearer. Some pads have straps that are connected to the edges of the pads and extend about the limb so as to have enough frictional contact to cling to the leg, arm, etc. Typically, the pads require upper and lower straps for connection to the limbs. For example, kneepads usually have upper straps to be wrapped from the upper portions of the kneepads around the legs above the knees and lower straps to be wrapped around the legs below the knees. If the straps are drawn tightly about the limb, they tend to hold the kneepad in place, but the tighter the straps the more constriction and discomfort there is about the limbs. This generates an undesirable constriction in the blood flow and discomfort to the wearer. Consequentially those who wear kneepads tend to attach the straps as loosely as possible in order to reduce the discomfort and as a result the kneepads have a propensity to slip out of position.

Also, when the wearer of kneepads is in the kneeling position, it is highly desirable to have the kneepads properly placed at the knee for maximum effect. However, when the wearer stands and the knee is straightened, the pants of the wearer become somewhat bunched above the kneepad, and there is some tendency of the kneepads to slip downwardly with the pants, to a position lower than the desired position. When the wearer returns to the kneeling position, the constriction of the straps tends to impede the lifting movement of the kneepads that is necessary to move the kneepads back up to the desired position at the knee. If the straps are tightly drawn to avoid downward movement of the kneepads when the wearer moves to the standing position, the pants of the wearer will remain bunched above the knee.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a protective pad for the limbs of a person that is operable to connect to the clothing of the person to prevent slippage of the knee pad as the wearer moves. In some embodiments, the pad may be operable to be used for the elbows of the body. The protective pads include connector straps integrated into the side edges of the pads that are operable to wrap around the wearer's leg and connect to connectors on the opposite side edge of the knee pad. The protective pads may additionally have at least one anti-slip retention strap for connecting directly to the pants of the wearer. The at least one anti-slip strap may extend from the upper edge of the pad and extend upward so that it can connect to the wearer's pants above the kneepad such that it will prevent the kneepad from slipping down the leg when the wearer stands, kneels, sits, and/or engages in other movements. The at least one anti-slip strap allows for the kneepad to be maintained such that the bottom portion of the pads generally tend to rest against the lower limb, such as the shin below the knee, whereas the upper portion of the pad extends to a point just above the kneecap. As a result, when the wearer of a kneepad is in the kneeling position, the upper portion of the kneepad will project outwardly under the knee, out toward the front of the wearer, thus providing cushioning for the kneecap, while the lower portion is beneath the knee, protecting the shin.

The kneepad may include a protective shell including a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface and lateral edges. The connector straps are integrated into one or both lateral edges of the protective shell and a connection hook, slot or other coupling device may be positioned on the opposite lateral edge of the kneepad to allow the connector straps to wrap around the back of the leg and connect to the opposite side of the kneepad. The connector straps may be integrated into the outside surface of the kneepads or the connector straps may be positioned on the inside surface of the kneepads. In some embodiments, the connector straps of the protective pad may be mounted to the pads at approximately one-half the height of the pads, such that the kneepads may be centered over the knee when it is donned. In some embodiments, the protective shell with an array of openings extending therethrough to allow air flow to allow air flow and drying of the underlying cloth and skin.

In some embodiments, the protective shell of the kneepad may be made of a rigid material such as thermoplastic urethane, polypropylene or various other rigid yet flexible materials. In some embodiments, the kneepad may include a layer of material softer than the protective shell is in contact with the inner surface of the protective shell to provide some padding and comfort for the wearer's leg, and reduce the likelihood of injury. The soft material may also include an array of openings that align with the openings in the protective shell. The layer of soft material may be made of various materials, such as foam rubber, various forms of soft plastics, such as thermoplastic elastomer, cotton batten, quilted cotton batten, other suitable materials, and combinations thereof (e.g., in a multilayer structure).

The at least one anti-slip strap may extend from the upper edge of the kneepad. The at least one anti-slip straps of the kneepads may be integrated into the kneepad at a location on the upper edge of the kneepad. The anti-slip strap may be fixedly connected to the upper edge of the kneepad, e.g., by adhesive, stitching, rivets, or other fixation elements. The anti-slip strap may have a length in a range of about two inches to about ten inches, and may have a clasp operative to reliably connect to the fabric of a pair of pants (e.g., denim, canvas, cotton, etc.). The clasp may be an alligator style clip, bulldog clip, and other strong spring-loaded clip. The clasp may include teeth in the distal edge of the of the clip to grasp the fabric of the pants. The strong clips provide firm connections between the kneepads and the pant legs, so that the kneepads tend to maintain a firm position at the knees of the wearer.

In some embodiments, the one anti-slip strap may be detachable from the kneepad. For example, a first end of the at least one anti-slip strap may have a locking connector operable to reversibly connect the first end of the strap to a receiver in an upper edge of the kneepad. The lockable connector may be a lockable carabiner clip, locking snap hooks, or other lockable clips. The anti-slip strap may have a second end with a clasp operative to reliably connect to the fabric of a pair of pants (e.g., denim, canvas, cotton, etc.). The clasp may be an alligator style clip, bulldog clip, and other strong spring-loaded clip. The clasp may include teeth in the distal edge of the of the clip to grasp the fabric of the pants.

In some embodiments, the kneepad may include a plurality of anti-slip straps to allow for additional support to the kneepad. The kneepad may include at least two anti-slip straps which provides two connection points with the wearer's pants to add stability. For example, the kneepad may include collateral left and right anti-slip straps allowing one to be attached to the right portion of a pant leg and the other to be attached to the left portion of the pant leg. Such an arrangement aids in preventing rotation of the kneepad around the leg as the wearer moves. In other embodiments, the kneepad may include three or more anti-slip straps.

The present invention provides a protective pad for the limbs of a person that connects to the clothing of the person, particularly when the person expects to encounter abrasion, impact, weight or other discomfort to the limb. The invention may be designed and used for the arms or legs of the body. The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is for protection of the knees, but the product may be formed for other parts of the body. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below for illustrative purposes, without limiting the scope of the invention.

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a protective kneepad for attachment to a pant leg comprising: a protective shell including a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface complementary to the anterior of a knee in a flexed condition; at least one connector strap connected to a first lateral side of the kneepad operable to wrap around the back side of a leg of a wearer and reversibly connect to a connector on a second lateral side of the kneepad; and an anti-slip strap anchored to an upper rim of the kneepad, and having a fabric-clasping connector at a distal end thereof operable to connect the pant leg of the wearer. The kneepad may further comprise an inner layer of material softer than the outer shell in contact with the inner surface of the protective shell. The fabric-clasping connector may be an alligator clip operable to pinch the fabric of the wearer's pants. The protective shell may include an array of openings therethrough. The protective shell may include an array of openings therethrough. The inner layer may include an array of inner openings therethrough that are in alignment with the array of openings. The kneepad may include a first connector strap and a second connector strap, and the first connector strap and the second connector strap are fixedly connected to the first lateral side and reversibly connected to first and second connectors on the second lateral side.

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a protective kneepad for attachment to a pant leg comprising: a protective shell including a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface and lateral edges; and an anti-slip strap anchored to an upper rim of the kneepad, and having a fabric-clasping connector at a distal end thereof operable to connect the pant leg of the wearer. The kneepad may further comprise at least one connector strapped to a first lateral side of the kneepad operable to wrap around the back side of a leg of a wearer and reversibly connect to a connector on a second lateral side of the kneepad. The kneepad may include a first connector strap and a second connector strap, and the first connector strap and the second connector strap may be fixedly connected to the first lateral side and reversibly connected to first and second connectors on the second lateral side. The kneepad may further comprise an inner layer of material softer than the outer shell in contact with the inner surface of the protective shell. The fabric-clasping connector may be an alligator clip operable to pinch the fabric of the wearer's pants. The protective shell may include an array of openings therethrough. The protective shell may include an array of openings therethrough. The inner layer may include an array of inner openings therethrough that are in alignment with the array of openings.

In a third aspect, the present invention relates to a method of using a protective kneepad for attachment to a pant leg comprising: positioning the kneepad over a wearer's knee, wherein the wearer is wearing pants over the knee and the rest of the leg, the kneepad having a protective shell including a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface complementary to the anterior of the knee in a flexed condition, at least one connector strap connected to a first lateral side of the kneepad operable to wrap around the back side of a leg of a wearer and reversibly connect to a connector on a second lateral side of the kneepad, and an anti-slip strap anchored to an upper rim of the kneepad, and having a fabric-clasping connector at a distal end thereof operable to connect the pant leg of the wearer; wrapping the at least one connector strap around the posterior of the knee and connecting the at least one connector strap to the connector on the second lateral side; and pulling the anti-slip strap taut and actuating the fabric-clasping connector to connector to fabric of the pants above the kneepad. The kneepad may include an inner soft layer of material in an inner surface of the protective shell for interfacing with the knee. The fabric-clasping connector may be an alligator clip operable to pinch the fabric of the wearer's pants. The kneepad may include a first connector strap and a second connector strap, and further comprising wrapping the second connector strap around the posterior aspect of the knee and reversibly connecting the second connector strap to a second connector on the second lateral side. The kneepad may include a second anti-slip strap, and further comprising pulling the second anti-slip strap taut and actuating a second fabric-clasping connector on a distal end thereof to connect to the fabric of the pants above the kneepad.

The present invention provides a protective kneepad that reliably maintains its position on the wearer's knee and methods of using the same. It is to be understood that variations, modifications, and permutations of embodiments of the present invention, and uses thereof, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments, descriptions, or illustrations or combinations of either components or steps disclosed herein. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Although reference has been made to the accompanying figures, it is to be appreciated that these figures are exemplary and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a kneepad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of a kneepad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a back view of a kneepad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a first side view of a kneepad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a second side view of a kneepad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a top view of a kneepad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of a kneepad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of a kneepad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a top view of a kneepad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in reference to these figures and certain implementations and examples of the embodiments, it will be understood that such implementations and examples are not intended to limit the invention. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that are included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In the following disclosure, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. References to various features of the “present invention” throughout this document do not mean that all claimed embodiments or methods must include the referenced features. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details or features.

Reference will be made to the exemplary illustrations in the accompanying drawings, and like reference characters may be used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1-9, the present invention relates to a kneepad 100 for connection to a pant leg of a wearer. The kneepad 100 may be positioned over the knee of the wearer in a centered manner. The kneepad 100 includes a protective hard shell 102 and an inner liner layer of soft material 104 applied to the inner surface of the protective shell 102. The hard shell 102 may be made of a hard yet flexible plastic such as a thermoplastic urethane, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene or other suitable similar compound. The soft liner 104 applied to the inner surface of the protective shell 102 may be made of a thermoplastic elastomer or a foam rubber or other relatively soft material.

The protective shell 102 and the softer layer 104 may have complementary shapes, with a convex outer surface 106 for contacted surfaces when the wearer is kneeling or otherwise contacted surfaces with his knee. The knee pad 100 may also and a concave inner surface 108 to provide a comfortable surface for engagement with the knee. The protective hard shell 102 may also include lateral portions 110 and 112 for the connection points of the connector straps 120 and 122. The connector straps 120 and 122 may extend from fixed connections 120 a and 122 a on lateral portion 110, and may be wrapped around the posterior aspect of the knee and connected to coupling mechanisms 120 b and 122 b, thereby securing the kneepad 100 to the wearer's knee. The connections 120 a and 122 a may be rivets (or other connectors) that pass through the hard shell 102 and the connector straps 120 and 122, respectively, such that the connector straps are fixedly anchored to the hard shell 102. The coupling mechanisms 120 b and 122 b may be pegs for which the connector straps have one or more complementary ring slots 124 a and 126 a that are operable to slide over the pegs and be secured to the peg. While a specific connector has been illustrated and described herein, other types of connectors may be employed as may be desired. Each of the connector straps 120 and 122 may have multiple ring slots or other connectors to allow for different leg sizes.

The kneepad 100 may further include at least one anti-slip strap 130 that is fixedly connected to the upper rim of the hard shell 102 at a first end thereof by a connection 130 a. The connection 130 a may be fixed by a rivet (or other connectors) that pass through the hard shell 102 and the anti-slip strap 130. The opposite, distal end of the anti-slip strap may include a clip 130 b that may be operable to connect reliably to the material of the pant leg, so as to minimize the relative movement experienced between the kneepad and the pant leg and the knee of the wearer. The clip 130 b may be an alligator style clip that is operable to reliably clasp the material of the pant leg of the wearer and maintain a position of the kneepad 100 on the leg of the wearer. The clip may also be a bulldog clip or other strong spring-loaded clip. The clip 130 b may include teeth in the distal edge of the of the clip to grasp the fabric of the pants.

In some embodiments, the one anti-slip strap 130 may be reversibly connected to the upper rim of kneepad 100. For example, a first end of the at least one anti-slip strap may have a reversible connector 130 c operable to reversibly connect the first end of the strap to a receiver in an upper rim of the kneepad 100, as shown in FIGS. 8-9. The reversible connector 130 c may be an alligator-style clip. In other embodiments, the reversible connector 130 c may be a lockable connector may be a lockable carabiner clip, locking snap hooks, or other lockable clips. The anti-slip strap 130 may have a second end with a clasp 130 b operative to reliably connect to the fabric of the pant leg.

It is to be understood that variations, modifications, and permutations of embodiments of the present invention, and uses thereof, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments, descriptions, or illustrations or combinations of either components or steps disclosed herein. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Although reference has been made to the accompanying figures, it is to be appreciated that these figures are exemplary and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

What is claimed:
 1. A protective kneepad for attachment to a pant leg comprising: a. a protective shell including a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface complementary to the anterior of a knee in a flexed condition, b. at least one connector strap connected to a first lateral side of said kneepad operable to wrap around the back side of a leg of a wearer and reversibly connect to a connector on a second lateral side of said kneepad; and c. an anti-slip strap anchored to an upper rim of said kneepad, and having a fabric-clasping connector at a distal end thereof operable to connect the pant leg of said wearer.
 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an inner layer of material softer than said outer shell in contact with said inner surface of said protective shell.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said fabric-clasping connector is an alligator clip operable to pinch the fabric of the wearer's pants.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said protective shell includes an array of openings therethrough.
 5. The device of claim 2, wherein said protective shell includes an array of openings therethrough.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein said inner layer includes an array of inner openings therethrough that are in alignment with said array of openings.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said kneepad includes a first connector strap and a second connector strap, and said first connector strap and said second connector strap are fixedly connected to said first lateral side and reversibly connected to first and second connectors on said second lateral side.
 8. A protective kneepad for attachment to a pant leg comprising: a. a protective shell including a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface and lateral edges; and b. an anti-slip strap anchored to an upper rim of said kneepad, and having a fabric-clasping connector at a distal end thereof operable to connect the pant leg of said wearer.
 9. The device of claim 8, further comprising at least one connector strapped to a first lateral side of said kneepad operable to wrap around the back side of a leg of a wearer and reversibly connect to a connector on a second lateral side of said kneepad.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein said kneepad includes a first connector strap and a second connector strap, and said first connector strap and said second connector strap are fixedly connected to said first lateral side and reversibly connected to first and second connectors on said second lateral side.
 11. The device of claim 8, further comprising an inner layer of material softer than said outer shell in contact with said inner surface of said protective shell.
 12. The device of claim 8, wherein said fabric-clasping connector is an alligator clip operable to pinch the fabric of the wearer's pants.
 13. The device of claim 8, wherein said protective shell includes an array of openings therethrough.
 14. The device of claim 11, wherein said protective shell includes an array of openings therethrough.
 15. The device of claim 14, wherein said inner layer includes an array of inner openings therethrough that are in alignment with said array of openings.
 16. A method of using a protective kneepad for attachment to a pant leg comprising: a. positioning said kneepad over a wearer's knee, wherein said wearer is wearing pants over the knee and the rest of the leg, said kneepad having i. a protective shell including a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface complementary to the anterior of the knee in a flexed condition, ii. at least one connector strap connected to a first lateral side of said kneepad operable to wrap around the back side of a leg of a wearer and reversibly connect to a connector on a second lateral side of said kneepad, and iii. an anti-slip strap anchored to an upper rim of said kneepad, and having a fabric-clasping connector at a distal end thereof operable to connect the pant leg of said wearer; b. wrapping said at least one connector strap around the posterior of the knee and connecting said at least one connector strap to said connector on said second lateral side; and c. pulling said anti-slip strap taut and actuating said fabric-clasping connector to connector to fabric of said pants above said kneepad.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said kneepad includes an inner soft layer of material in an inner surface of said protective shell for interfacing with said knee.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said fabric-clasping connector is an alligator clip operable to pinch the fabric of the wearer's pants.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein said kneepad includes a first connector strap and a second connector strap, and further comprising wrapping said second connector strap around the posterior aspect of said knee and reversibly connecting said second connector strap to a second connector on said second lateral side.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein said kneepad includes a second anti-slip strap, and further comprising pulling said second anti-slip strap taut and actuating a second fabric-clasping connector on a distal end thereof to connect to said fabric of said pants above said kneepad. 